Bear Electives

(ARROW POINT TRAIL)

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AFTER a Bear Cub Scout earns his Bear Badge he may begin
earning Arrow Points in the Electives section of his book.

He may work on his "Arrow Point Trail" at any time, however he cannot receive
Arrow Points until AFTER he has earned the Bear Badge.

There is a big difference in the achievements for arrow points for Bear. In this rank
the Cub Scout can go back and do requirements from the ACHIEVEMENTS section of the book
and use them as requirements for arrow points, as long as they do not count any
requirements that they used to earn the Bear Badge.

The Achievement requirements and the Elective requirements can be freely mixed to count
toward earning arrow points. In the following descriptions, we will use the term
"Arrow Points" to refer to either type of requirement.

GOLD ARROW POINT:

For the FIRST 10 arrow points completed in his book, the Bear Cub earns his GOLD ARROW
POINT.

Learn how to read a thermometer. Put a thermometer outdoors and read it at the same time
every day for 2 weeks. Keep a record of each day's temperature and a description of the
weather each day (fair skies, rain, fog, snow, etc.).

Build a weather vane. Record wind direction for 2
weeksevery day at the same hour for
2 weeks. Keep a record of the weather for each day.

Make a rain gauge.

Find out what a barometer is and how it works. Tell your den about it. Tell what
"relative humidity" means.

Learn to identify three different kinds of clouds. Estimate their heights.

Watch the weather forecast on TV every day for 2 weeks. Describe three different symbols
used on weather maps. Keep a record of how many times the weather forecast is correct.

Do an original art project and show it at a pack meeting. Every project you do counts as
one requirement Here are someSome
ideas for art projects are:Mobile or wire sculpture, Silhouette, Acrylic painting, Watercolor painting,
Collage, Mosaic, Clay sculpture, Silk screen picture.

Practice holding a camera still in one position. Learn to push the shutter button
without moving the camera. Do this without film in the camera until you have learned how.
Look through the viewfinder and see what your picture will look like. Make sure that
everything you want in your picture is in the frame of your viewfinder.

Take five pictures of the same subject in different kinds of light.

Subject in direct sun with direct light.

Subject in direct sun with side light.

Subject in direct sun with back light.

On a sunny day, Subject in shade on
a sunny day.

Subject on a cloudy day.

Put your pictures to use.

Mount a picture on cardboard for display.

Mount on cardboard and give it to a friend.

Make three pictures that show how something happened (tell a story) and write a one
sentence explanation for each.

With an adult, helpHelp your
parents take care of your lawn or help take care of the lawn of a
public building, school, or church. Seed bare spots. Get rid of weeds. Pick up litter.
Agree ahead of time on what you will do.

Make a sketch of a landscape plan for the area right around your house
or apartment buildinghome. Talk it over with
a parentyour parents
or den leader. Show whatwhich
trees, shrubs and flowers you could plant to make the area look better.

Take part in a project with your family, den, or pack to make your neighborhood or
community more beautiful. These might be having a cleanup partiesparty,
painting, cleaning and painting trash barrels, and removing ragweed. (Each time you do
this differently, it counts as a completed project.)

Build a greenhouse and grow 20 plants from seed. You can use a package of garden seeds,
or use beans, pumpkin seeds, or watermelon seeds.

Dig a hole or find an excavation project and describe the different layers of soil you
see and feel. (Do not enter an excavation area alone or
without permission.)

Explore three kinds of earth by conducting a soil experiment.Take three cans the same size and punch
four holes in the bottom of each with a hammer and nail. Put clay in the first can,
soil in the second can, and sand in the third can. Fill all three cans one-half full
of soil. Pour one-half can of water into each can, one at a time. Write down
the time it takes the water to run through (until dripping stops) each kind of earth.
(The three kinds of earth are not good for growing things alone, but when mixed
together they make very good soil.)

Visit a burned-out forest or prairie area, or a slide area, with your den or your
family. Talk to a member of the U.S. Forest Servicesoil and water conservation officer or forest ranger about how the
area will be planted and cared for, to grow againso that it will grow to be the way it was before the accidentfire or slide

Some people like to use live Christmas trees.
After Christmas, plant the tree in your yard, or at school, your Boy Scout council service
center, or a park. Find out all the things you need to know about how to take care
of a live Christmas tree in your home.

e. What is erosion?
Find out the kinds of grasses, trees, or ground cover you should plant in your area to
help limit erosion.

f. As a den, visit a
lake, stream, river, or ocean (whichever is nearest where you live). Plan and do a den
project to help clean up this important source of water. Name four kinds of water
pollution.

Swim on your back, using a resting stroke,the elementary backstroke, for 30 feet.

Rest by floating on your back, using as little motion as possible for at
least one minute. Also show the
"drown-proof" method of floating face down for 4 minutes.
("Drown-proof" floating or bobbing [jellyfish float] uses a minimum of arm and
leg movement to lift the head for breathing.

Tell what is meant by the buddy plansystem. Knowand
the basic rules of safe swimming and simple rescue.

Do a racing dive from edge of pool and swim 60 feet, using a racing stroke. (You
may need to make a turn.)

In archery, know the safety rules. Know how to shoot correctly. Put six arrows into a
4-foot target at a distance of 15 yardsfeet. Make an arrow holder.

In skiing, know the Skier's Safety and Courtesy Code.Demonstrate walking and kick turn, climbing with asidestep side step or herringbone, a
snowplow stop, a stem turn, four linked snowplow or stem turns, and straight running in a downhill
position or a cross-country
position, and show how to recover
from a fall.

In ice skating, know the safety rules. From a standing start, skate forward 150 feet; and
come to a complete stop within 20 feet. Skate around a corner clockwise and
counterclockwise without coasting. Show a turn from forward to backward. Skate
backward 50 feet.

In track, show how to make a sprint start. Run the 50-yard dash in 10 seconds or less.
Show how to do the standing long jump, the running long jump, or high jump. Be
sure to haveLand in a
soft landing area.

In roller skating (with conventional or in-line skates), know
the safety rules. From a standing start, skate forward 150 feet; and
come to a complete stop within 20 feet. Skate around a corner clockwise and
counterclockwise without coasting and show a turn from forward to backward. Skate backward
50 feet. Wear the proper protective clothing.

Start a stamp collection. You can get information about stamp collecting at any U.S.
Post Office.

Mount and display a collection of patches,emblems, coins, or other items to show at a pack meeting. This can
be any kind of collection. Every time you show a different kind of collection, it counts
as one requirement.

Start your own library. Keep your own books and pamphlets in order by
subject. List the title, author, and subject of each on an index card and keep the cards
in a file box, or use a computer program to store the information.

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